CAREERGlossary · Career · First job
Elevator pitch
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A short, spoken summary of you at work. For the “tell me about yourself” interview question, Carnegie Mellon’s career center says 1–2 minutes.
Use the same three beats as FILE 003: Now (who you are at work today), Proof (two examples that match the job), Next (why this job). For most jobs, aim for about 60 to 90 seconds, then stop.
From FILE 003: the formula, or build yours with the free answer builder.
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Sources
Official and government data first. Every quote is word for word; follow the link to check it yourself.
SOURCE 01Accessed Oct 2026
Carnegie Mellon University Career & Professional Development Center · “Elevator pitch” quick tips
“For the “tell me about yourself” interview question, your introduction will need to be 1-2 minutes long.”
cmu.edu (opens in a new tab)SOURCE 01Accessed Oct 2026
Carnegie Mellon University Career & Professional Development Center · “Elevator pitch” quick tips
“For the “tell me about yourself” interview question, your introduction will need to be 1-2 minutes long.”
cmu.edu (opens in a new tab)